Tag Archives: Simon Cowell

I am based in the UK and we get the X factor, which is the same as American Idol except for the age limit. With the X Factor, there is no age limit. In the UK, we also get to watch American Idol on ITV2. The best part of these programs has got to be the auditions. Here you will find some of the finest comedy ever seen on television, but does it produce the finest singers. In my opinion defiantly not.

Yes, there are some good singers, but no better than I have seen in clubland over the past thirty years. As a keyboard player I have worked with thousands of singers some totally rubbish some are ok, you know, a nice singer. Then you have the good singers, well rehearsed, and well dressed a bit of polish to the act. Then you have the WOW what a singer. I can count them on one hand in over thirty years of working in clubland.

Now this is just my humble opinion of course. I am not a singer; Ive just worked with lots of them. Granted I work in back street clubs and pubs and American Idol has the best equipment, musicians, producers, promotion and the whole world to sell it to, but a singer is a singer right. The only difference is the environment one is a pie and a pint the other is caviar and champagne.

So maybe the title of this blog should read, Does the X Factor and American Idol Produce Great Television? absolutely, one hundred percent YES. Now be honest, how many of you are not that bothered about watching or dont bother to record the show once the auditions are over. All right some of you, but thats only because Simon Cowell is dishing the dirt.

I know some of the singers that applied for the X factor and they didnt even reach the auditions stage. Not because they are bad singers, if they were bad they would probably reach the auditions. The reason is, they are not good enough to make it all the way and they are not bad enough or funny enough to make good television.

I certainly wish all the singers that have won these competitions the very best. Will they be top selling artist? I havent seen much evidence of that in the UK. I must conclude that the X factor and American Idol create great television and make millions of pounds/dollars and give an extraordinary opportunity for a few not great, but good singers.